CSU, Chico Students Prepare to Discuss Current Issues at Town Hall Meeting

California State University, Chico students will lead and participate in discussions on issues such as Proposition 30, campus safety and job creation at this fall’s Town Hall Meeting, Tuesday, Nov. 13, from 5:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. in the Bell Memorial Union (BMU) Auditorium and other locations on the CSU, Chico campus.

The Town Hall Meeting is the culminating experience for Political Science 155 students. The experience helps develop their writing and research skills as well as promote civic engagement.

There will be a large number of community members participating in the event, including the mayor of Chico, city manager, several council candidates, members of the school board and statewide public servants, said Ellie Clifford Ertle, faculty coordinator of the Town Hall Meeting Program.

The Town Hall Meeting begins with opening remarks and a welcome in the BMU Auditorium. Participants then move to various locations on campus for large group discussions led by moderators. The students conclude the evening in a strategy session with all participants serving as consultants to assist with the next step in research and development of a plan for civic action.

The Town Hall Meeting is a part of CSU, Chico’s First-Year Experience Program, which is designed to help first-year students succeed academically and socially and make a smooth transition to university life.

The Town Hall Meeting helps students to understand their role in government and the political process. The program encourages students to engage in issues of importance to them and gives them the tools to be a more complete and effective member of society in the future.